By: Precious Miracle Kargbo Snr
Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has successfully concluded its nationwide cartographic mapping exercise with the surveying of the Presidential Lodge, marking the final structure captured in a process that began in October 2025.
The completion of the exercise signifies that every dwelling, institution, and landmark across Sierra Leone has now been digitally mapped. Over the past nine months, cartographers traversed all districts of the country, creating a comprehensive geographic framework that will serve as the foundation for the 2026 Population and Housing Census.
The Presidential Lodge, as the official residence of the President, served as the symbolic endpoint of the nationwide mapping effort.
The newly established geographic database will play a critical role in guiding census enumerators during the 2026 census. It will ensure accurate identification of households, eliminate duplication, reduce omissions, and enhance overall data quality. Field teams will use the digital maps to navigate communities, assign enumeration areas, and monitor coverage in real time.
This process is expected to contribute significantly to a credible, accurate, and comprehensive population count that reflects Sierra Leone’s current demographic distribution.
Beyond its importance for the census, the mapping data will provide valuable information for national development planning. Government ministries, local councils, and development partners will be able to use the data to identify areas requiring schools, healthcare facilities, water infrastructure, roads, and other essential services based on population size and growth trends.
Reliable spatial data will also strengthen disaster preparedness and response, urban planning, environmental management, and resource allocation at both national and district levels.
Statistics Sierra Leone launched the cartographic mapping exercise in October 2025 as the first major phase of preparations for the 2026 Population and Housing Census. The exercise combined satellite imagery, Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, and extensive field verification to develop a master geographic frame that meets international statistical standards.
The mapping covered urban centres, rural communities, and hard-to-reach areas across the country, with the Presidential Lodge serving as the final verification point in the nationwide operation.
With the mapping phase now complete, attention will shift to the next stages of census preparation, including the recruitment and training of field personnel, census enumeration planning, and nationwide public sensitization campaigns ahead of the 2026 census.
The 2026 Population and Housing Census is expected to be Sierra Leone’s first fully digital census, supported by the geographic infrastructure finalized through this landmark mapping exercise.
The completion of the survey at the Presidential Lodge represents more than the mapping of a single building. It symbolizes the successful completion of a critical national undertaking and the readiness of Sierra Leone’s statistical infrastructure to generate the reliable data needed to guide policy formulation, investment decisions, and public service delivery over the next decade.